Pushing Expectations Aside
by My-Fair-Lady45
Summary: In which Sasuke returns, Naruto and Sasuke fall in love, and a father returns to find his lost son. Why has Sasuke returned? Why has Naruto hidden behind the last name Uzumaki and given up his dream of becoming a doctor? Who is this mysterious father figure that haunts Naruto's dreams? All will be explained in time, when we push other's expectations of us aside.
1. A Rude Awakening

**This is my first fan fiction, so bear with me! Yes, this is yaoi, boyxboy, etc. There will be SasuNaru, hints of KakaIru, and maybe more.**

**This is set in modern-day, as to make it easier on me. Everyone will probably be a bit...OOC. Also, this first chapter is such a drag. **

**Spoiler Alert! - If you are not far into the manga or anime, you probably do not want to read this. There is not a terrible amount of spoilers, at least in my opinion. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own "Naruto" or any of mentioned characters within this story. They all belong to the Masahi Kishimoto, the creator, as well as the studios that have brought us the anime and movies. **

The annoying sunlight was getting into Naruto's eyes. Normally, he didn't mind it, but when he was trying to get some much-needed rest, he minded the dang thing a lot. He rolled over and buried his face into the pillows. Just as he was about to fall back into a light sleep, loud knocking echoed through his apartment. He chose to ignore it, finding the bed to be much more welcoming than whoever was banging on the door.

"Hurry your big butt out here, Naruto, or I'm going to break down this door!"

Sakura. Why was she being so insistent this early in the morning? His landlady would have a cow about all the noise. Groaning and swearing underneath his breath, Naruto rolled out of bed and stumbled to the door. "Whatcha' want, Sakura?" He ran a hand through his messy blond hair. The pink haired girl was glaring menacingly at him and looked about ready to throttle him.

"What's wrong? What's wrong, you ask? Sasuke is back and you didn't even think about telling me?" She spat out, her fists clenching.

Naruto's eyes widened, the sleep leaving him. "Sakura, we did not get back till one thirty this morning. I figured I could tell you after I got some sleep." He watched as the girl relaxed slightly and opened her mouth to reply, but then opted to study him instead. Her reddening cheeks, however, were something that he was not ready for. "Wha-"

He found himself falling to the ground with a thud, his cheek stinging madly. "Naruto! You...You practically naked! H-How could you answer the door like that!"

He hadn't even thought of the fact that he always slept in only his boxers. He had been so tired that it had never occurred to him to slip on some pants before answering the door. "Oh, oops, sorry, Sakura-chan!" He smiled sheepishly and then stood up, gently rubbing his cheek.

Sakura rolled her eyes at his words and then entered the room, slamming the door shut. "Go get some clothes on before I punch you again."

"You don't like what ya' see? Aw, come on! That hurts, Sa-ku-ra-chan!" Naruto made a pouty face and barely managed to dodge a punch as he scampered off to his bedroom. He chuckled to himself while putting on a pair of baggy cargo pants and an orange t-shirt. There had been a time when they were younger that he had been head over heels in love with Sakura, but that was no longer true. He was not interested in the girl; she was more of an older sister or motherly figure to him than anything else. In fact, Naruto had found that he wasn't interested in many girls, at least not that way. The last few years had been devoted to finding Sasuke and bringing him back.

The happy glimmer in his eyes faded slightly at the memories. Sasuke had left Konoha on his own free will three years ago. Apparently some sicko named Orochimaru had promised him with wealth, power, and strength to defeat Itachi, Sasuke's older brother. Naruto's jaw tightened and he growled to himself. He had been too weak to stop his friend from leaving. He had tried everything; the two of them had fought to the point where Naruto was left almost unconscious. "Sasuke..." He whispered, dragging another hand through his messy hair.

Clanging coming from the kitchen brought Naruto back to the present and he easily slipped a happy smile onto his face as he left his room. Sakura was digging through his fridge, presumably looking for something to drink, as she kept on looking at random bottles of liquid. "I've got beer in the back, middle shelf." He heard an exclamation of, "Ah-ha", and then found a beer bottle being thrust into his face. He glanced up at Sakura's face and took the alcohol wordlessly. Her green eyes watched as he opened it and took a refreshing sip. He settled down at his table and stared back at her. "What?"

Sakura settled in a chair beside him and sighed, "I just wish that you would have told me you were going to get him. He is my friend too, you know?"  
"You just wanted to hang all over him first before any one else from Konoha could." Naruto raised one eyebrow accusingly and smirked, something that he had gotten into the habit of ever since Sasuke left.

Sakura blushed lightly, "That isn't true. I haven't seen him in three years and you have seen him at least twice during that time. Naruto, we were a team and we were close, so why didn't you tell me he was coming home?"

"Not as close as we thought, apparently." He muttered, staring at the beer bottle in his hand. "This was something between the two of us, Sakura. I would have told you, but Sasuke asked me not to. Alright?" His cerulean eyes raced to meet green eyes.

"Something between the two of you always ends in a fight and hospitalization." Sakura replied in a confused tone.

"Well, this time it was different. I don't want to talk about it." Naruto took another swig from his beer and then chuckled slightly, "We really shouldn't be drinking this early in the morning." This statement seemed to brighten the mood and soon they were both laughing. Sakura insisted on making something to eat and then for them to watch a movie together until they could go visit their newly arrived friend. Watching some random flick together while they ate eggs and sausage was enjoyable. Naruto found it calming to spend time with Sakura in this way. His thoughts often returned to Sasuke, but he managed to keep most of the memories from his mind.

When their movie was finally over and the sun had risen into the sky, Naruto glanced at the clock. 9:34 A.M. Would Sasuke still be asleep after having such a long day? Knowing him, probably not. Last time Naruto checked, early risers were always early risers no matter what.

Naruto was practically pushed out the door by Sakura and was pulled by the arm towards the old Uchiha district. "Sasuke is staying here, right?"  
"Yeah, he is. Same old place."  
"Say, Naruto, when did Sasuke tell you he was coming home?"

* * *

_Four Days Prior_

_BRING! BRING! BRING! _

_Naruto leapt across the room to grab the phone, "Hello, this is Naruto Uzumaki. Speaking?" _

_"Dobe, I'm coming back." _

_Naruto almost dropped the phone at the familiar voice, "S-Sasuke?" He stammered out, astonished that the boy would be calling him. He recovered quickly, however, as dobe clicked into his brain. "Hey! Don't call me that, teme!" He paused and spoke in a quieter tone, "Good. When?"_

What could only be described as a chuckle came from the other side of the phone, surprising Naruto. "In four days. You will be at the train station to pick me up at twelve p.m. sharp."

_"I will? You leave for three years, refuse to talk to me, and then expect me to pick you up in the middle of the night?" _

_"Hn." _

_Naruto gritted his teeth and then went to hang up, but stopped, whispering into the phone, "Sasuke..." He ended the call before he heard Sasuke's voice coming through the speaker just as softly as his own voice had. "Naruto..."_

* * *

"Four days ago." Naruto replied sheepishly, not looking at Sakura. He knew his response was going to incur her wrath.

"FOUR DAYS AGO!" She screamed into his ear, making him wince. "FOUR FREAKIN' DAYS AGO! YOU DIDN'T THINK IT NICE TO TELL ME!"

"Sorry, Sakura-chan, I just didn't think about it." That was the wrong thing to say, he told himself as an impressive punch met his cheek. "OW! Sakura, you hit the same cheek!"

The worry for Naruto's wellbeing cooled Sakura's anger a bit, but she still glared at him. "I won't forgive you for this. You kept Sasuke's arrival a secret from me and probably told every one else in town."

"I didn't tell anyone, Sakura. I was too busy deciding whether or not to pick up the jerk." Naruto replied, feeling a bit hurt that his friend would think he would tell every one except her about Sasuke's returning.

"Why'd he call you anyway? Shouldn't he have called Kakashi-sensei?"

At this, Naruto just shrugged and stopped abruptly. The Uchiha mansion now towered over them. "We're here. Oh, and Sasuke had a long day yesterday, so he was really tired. I doubt he'll be in a good mood today, though I've never seen him in a good mood."

"Sasuke is always in a good mood. Don't be silly, idiot." Sakura skipped up the walk, letting go of Naruto's arm as she did so. Naruto sighed and followed after her, wondering what the visit would bring. Sasuke didn't say much when he went to pick him up. Naruto had helped him bring things to his home and get him situated before he felt the urge to hurry away.

* * *

_Earlier That Day_

_Naruto paced inside the train station, grumbling to himself about trains and schedules. "Train 154 has arrived. The train will remain for twenty minutes. All passengers will please leave the train. We will be boarding again in ten minutes." The newest announcement on the loudspeaker halted his pacing and he hurried towards the boarding and departure area. _

_He stopped in the middle of the small crowd and searched for the duck-butt hairstyle of his friend. He bit his lip nervously when he did not see Sasuke among the people coming off the train. He felt someone tap his shoulder and he jumped. Turning quickly to see who it was, Naruto frowned. _

_"You haven't changed, dobe." _

_Sasuke, however, had changed. He was taller and more muscular. His 'princely' charm had definitely increased and the famous 'Uchiha smirk' was worse than ever. Naruto caught himself staring and he recovered by glaring at the man before him. "I have so! I've gotten taller and stronger. Teme!" He stuck his tongue out at him and then took the bags that were so graciously shoved at him. _

_Naruto would have attempted to tell Sasuke all about what he had missed, but was stopped before he could even utter a word by Sasuke's glare and angry words, "Don't you dare say a word. I have had a long day filled with loud, obnoxious people, so shut your mouth and keep it shut."_

_That had probably been one of the longer sentences that Naruto had heard Sasuke say to him, so he figured the other man was serious. The rest of the car ride was silent, as was the move into the Uchiha mansion. Naruto made sure that everything of Sasuke's was out of his car and then let himself out, though not before he heard Sasuke say, "Thanks...Naruto." _


	2. Words Are Spoken, Surprises Given

**I'd like reviews, if there are any to give! They will encourage me to continue to write this. I updated this rather quickly and will most likely continue to do so because I am very excited about this. I sincerely hope that this isn't crappy and it is actually enjoyable. **

**Oh, and if you have noticed the lack of certain words, i.e. swear words, I don't normally swear and don't feel terribly comfortable doing it in my stories.**

**Kyuubi talking is in bold. **_Naruto thinking/talking to Kyuubi in his head. _

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own Naruto.**

* * *

Sakura's gentle knocking quickly turned into banging. The poor mansion door was not going to survive much longer. Naruto rescued the wood from any more beatings by tapping on the door himself and yelling, "Sakura wants to see you. Sorry if it's early, but she insisted. Ow! Gosh, Sakura, was that necessary?" He glared at the girl beside him who had slapped his shoulder. "Come on, Sasuke. It's been three years and she's dying to see her Sasuke. No hitting! That should be a rule with you. Man!" His shoulder received a punch this time and he had half a mind to hit her, except he didn't normally hit girls. One day, he was going to make an exception with Sakura and her obsession with hitting him.

The door was wrenched open by an annoyed Sasuke who glared at the two intruders upon his front step. "Fine." He muttered before walking away, leaving his door open. Naruto entered with a curious Sakura in tow. The house was much less dusty than it had been the day before, which surprised Naruto. Following Sasuke into the dining room, Naruto saw that everything else seemed perfectly in order and sparkling clean. Had the grumpy, tired Sasuke pull an all-nighter to clean his mansion? The thought made Naruto a tad angry, but he swallowed said anger when he settled into a chair beside Sakura, who was staring at the Uchiha sitting across from them. "It's so good to see you, Sasuke." She murmured, her green eyes shining happily.

"You saw me, now get out." Sasuke snapped, his oynx eyes flaring with anger as they stared at the pink haired girl. Sakura lowered her head and her happiness vanished.

"That's rude! She's waited three, long years to see you again." Naruto retorted, his anger coming to the surface now.

"I did not ask for visitors. She could have come and found me, just as you did." Sasuke replied, glancing in Naruto's direction.

"She had her duties, Sasuke! She is a nurse and cannot just leave to go find you!" Naruto snapped, his blue eyes flashing dangerously.

"Hn, and yet, you abandoned your 'duties' to find me."

"My job doesn't involve life or death situations! It was easy for me to take time off to try to get your sorry butt back here!" Naruto shot up from his seat, causing the chair to topple over. "Here I thought that you would enjoy seeing Sakura again after three years. She is your friend, after all." Naruto rolled his eyes and left the room, yelling over his shoulder, "Guess I overestimated the emotionless Ice Prick!" He stomped his way towards the door only to be stopped by a hand on his arm, "Wait, dobe."

Naruto turned around, staring at Sasuke with surprised and angry eyes. Sasuke had never stopped him before and their arguments had always ended when someone intervened or when one of them had stormed off. "I'm sorry. I am not used to having people come to me with friendly intentions, not anymore."

Naruto's jaw would have dropped to the floor if he had not clenched it tightly. Sasuke apologizing? Was this real? He stared at the raven behind him, all traces of anger vanishing from his eyes. "I understand, Sasuke, but could you keep your nasty comments to yourself? Sakura almost beat the crap out of me because I didn't tell her about you coming."

"You didn't tell her?" Sasuke said, his eyebrows raising in surprise, clearly having expected the dobe to tell the entire town about his return. Then again, the lack of people at the train station and at his home should have been a dead giveaway that Naruto hadn't said anything .

"No, I figured you wanted to get home without people mauling you." Naruto sighed and then looked down at the hand on his arm. "I should get to work. There's a car in the shop that I must get to work on. Kiba is gonna' kill me if I don't help out."

Sasuke let go of his arm and then tilted his head slightly, "You work for a mechanic?"

"Yeah. I gave up on being a doctor. Seems I wasn't cut out for it." Naruto gave a fake smile and then hurried out of the door before Sasuke could say another word. Naruto swallowed hard as he moved down the street without a backward glance. He still didn't understand why Sasuke had stopped him in the first place.

**To tell you he was sorry. You saw how he was, kit. **

_That doesn't make any sense, Kyuubi! Sasuke has never said sorry to me, in fact, I don't think the word has ever exited his mouth before! _

**I'm telling you what I saw. The jerk seemed genuinely worried about you being angry. **_  
_

_Sasuke worried about me? Ha! Kyuubi, you're crazy. I think spending nineteen years with me has made you lose your sanity! _Naruto laughed to himself as the fox demon growled at him. _Come on, I actually do need to get to work. _

The fox was quiet and Naruto was thankful for the peace. It had been many years since Naruto had first heard the fox's voice and there had barely been any quiet moments since then. The demon loved to talk, and Naruto found that he couldn't usually complain, as Kyuubi became his friend. Kyuubi had actually been Naruto's first friend, but he didn't count it as a bond, necessarily. It would have been miserable if they hadn't gotten along, as they were in the same body. Naruto could never forget the first time he heard Kyuubi's voice in his head. He had thought he was going insane until he finally asked Tsunade about the voice. He had been ten when it happened. Naruto paused in the middle of the sidewalk and stared up at the sky. Sighing softly, Naruto took yet another trip down memory lane.

* * *

_Nine Years Ago_

_"What is it, kid?" The woman asked, her eyes raising from untouched paperwork. _

_"Tsunade-baachan, I have to ask...Is it strange to hear a voice in your head?" The blond-headed ten-year old asked. _

_"No, that would be your conscious, Naruto." Tsunade replied, raising an eyebrow in annoyance. _

_"Are you sure? 'Cause I think this isn't my conscious. He sounds darker and kinda' scary. He even told me his name!"_

_"Really now...What did he say his name was?"_

"Kyuubi."

_Tsunade dropped her paperwork and stood up quickly, slamming her hands into her desk. Her eyes widened with concern. "Are you absolutely certain?" _

_Naruto jumped and took a step backwards, suddenly afraid for his life. "Y-Yeah, I'm sure."_

"Naruto...We have a lot to talk about." Tsunade sat back down. The long story of how Naruto came to have a fox demon in his stomach began. "You believe in the tales of the Great Ninja Villages, right Naruto?"

"Yeah, of course I do, but what does that have to do with anything?" Naruto asked as he sat down in one of the chairs in front of the old lady's desk.

_"Everything. You see, the tales were true and all the events described happened. My great-great-great-great-great grandfather was a ninja, as was your great-great-great grandfather."_

"Really? Awesome! I've got ninja blood in me, believe it!" Naruto pumped the air with his fist and grinned. He had completely forgotten about why he had originally come into Tsunade's office.

_"Yes, well, that isn't all. Do you remember the story of the fox demon that destroyed an entire village?" _

_"Yeah, that is one of my favorites! I wanna' be like the great Yondaime who defeated the demon." Naruto replied, grinning even more. _

_"That man was your great-great-great grandfather, Naruto, and the story of the demon is not really a story. It actually happened." Tsunade said, her voice becoming grave.  
_

_Naruto, however, did not recognize the grave tone in the woman's tone and continued to talk excitedly. "Are you serious? I'm the great-great-great grandson of such an awesome guy? Wait till the town hears about this! Naruto Uzumaki, the Great!" _

_"Naruto...The fox demon was moved from host to host after one died, going from father to son." Tsunade stared at Naruto with a serious expression, which finally put a pause in Naruto's excitement. _

_"W-Wait...Does that mean...?" Naruto turned pale as things started to fall into place.  
_

_"Yes, you have the fox demon, Kyuubi, within you. The process of moving the demon from body to body has become a ritual in your family, though no one remembers why they do it. Your father believed it was to ward off demons. He never got the demon placed within him, for his father was still alive, however, you were born on the same day your grandfather died. You are the first since your great-great grandfather who had the demon placed within in you when you were born."_

_Naruto put his face into his hands and felt a shudder run through him at the mention of his father. __"So, this Kyuubi voice is a demon?" _

_"Yes, and Naruto, this is something that you must never tell anyone about. The only people who know about the Kyuubi still existing are Kakashi Hatake, Shizune, Jiriaya, and myself." _

_"You and my father." Naruto corrected in a muffled voice. He kept his face in his hands and did not look up at Tsunade as she answered, "Yes...Your father also knows." _


	3. Stomach Pains

**It took me longer than I thought to get this chapter out. : ( I recently got a job and have been freakin' tired when I get home. Blah. **

**I apologize if the chapters seem to move very quickly, at least from scene to scene. I hope that this will get better as it goes, but this is my first fic, so this style of writing is new to me.**

**REVIEW, PLEASE! I am itching for an opinion, whether it be negative or positive. **

**Disclaimer: I, regrettably and yet, thankfully, do not own Naruto. **

* * *

Memory lane had been quite the annoying place for Naruto. It had plagued him with its nostalgic images and voices, causing emotions to take root in his heart that he had long since pushed away. The job as a mechanic distracted him from life as he buried himself in the vehicles. Though, Kiba breathed down his neck to work faster when he spent too much time on a certain car because he had found something interesting about it. Besides the memories, his life had been simple and quiet. Sasuke had not come to visit him and he had not gone to see his friend since Sakura had shown up on his doorstep a week ago.

He just couldn't think of anything to say to Sasuke if they ever bumped into each other or went to the other's house. Their last conversation had not exactly ended in a good way. 'Yeah, Sasuke, I quit chasing after my dream and chose to operate on cars instead. Hope you don't mind that I gave up the field that you were always encouraging me into.' That conversation would not have been awkward at all! No, not even! Naruto sighed. He would let the whole thing wash over and in the meantime, just avoid Sasuke like the plague. It would not be easy, as he had seen him a lot during the week, walking around the town. It was odd, for Naruto had never taken him to be the type to walk through the crowded streets for all to see. Still, he had not seen the other boy in three years, so his tendencies could have changed a bit in that time.

Naruto decided to push away thoughts of his best friend and think about other things, like furniture. His couch, in particular, had become a very comfortable place to sprawl out when he returned from work and that was where he was now, unceremoniously sprawled across the cushions, his face buried in a pillow. He groaned and wondered why his stomach felt like it was twisting. He shivered as he remembered the only times he felt like this. His father was normally the cause of these strange stomach twisting. The father that had only been there for the first ten years of his life before he had disappeared, leaving him in the care of his godfather, Jiraiya, but during those ten years, Naruto experienced a lot more than any child should. Even after his father left him, his life was a mess. Only a handful of people liked him and the rest hated him, often resorting to drastic measures to show their hatred.

The scars that littered the nineteen year old's body were evidence enough of how his life had been. Another sigh left his mouth and he burrowed deeper into the pillow and couch cushions, wishing that troublesome memories of his past would stop coming back to him. Naruto paused in his burrowing and then snorted, realizing that he had sounded like Shikamaru. That thought lightened his mood momentarily and a faint smile was present on his lips until his stomach starting twisting again. He groaned and wondered if he should take some medicine as an attempt to stop the churning. He decided that he probably should do just that, but he was too lazy to get off the couch at the moment. He was too warm and comfortable, not to mention tired from a long day of work.

Rolling onto his back, Naruto stared at the ceiling and tried to convince himself to get up, to no avail. He soon found that his eyelids were drooping. "So tired..." He mumbled before giving into the urges of sleep. At first, he slept peacefully, but soon his dreams turned ugly.

_There was so much red, it covered his small hands and he could feel it on his face, quickly drying. "Papa!" A sob ripped through his throat as a blond-headed figure walked towards him, laughing. "Why are you crying, Ru-ru?" He was pulled into a warm, sticky hug which only made him cry more. He looked up at the pale face stained with red and started to scream. "You not Papa!" _

"PAPA!" Naruto screamed as he bolted awake, eyes wide with fear. His clothes were twisted and soaked with sweat. They stuck to his skin uncomfortably as he panted. It took him several minutes to calm down from the nightmare and when he finally could breath normally, he got up and walked to the bathroom to take a shower. He felt terrible and the twisting stomach symptoms had gotten worse. Speaking of which, he felt the sudden urge to put his face in the toilet. Up chucking what little he had for dinner, he groaned at the feeling. A shiver went down his spine and he shut his eyes tightly. _Kyuubi, are you there? __I need your help. _

**Where else would I be? Of course I am here, you idiot. Now, what is it? **

_Can you suppress my memories of...him? I can't deal with more nightmares than I already have. I wouldn't ask for this normally, but the number of these dreams has increased. Instead of one occasionally, I have multiple daily. _

**No, kit. I am sorry, but I can't do anything about it. **

_Kyuubi, I can't take much more of this. Once in a while was bad enough, but every time I close my eyes! I thought I buried them deep enough... _

**You can't bury them, kit. The only thing I can do for you is tell you to go to the old hag. **

_No! She will get worried and start checking on me. Not to mention, Sakura will find out something is wrong and start asking questions. _

**Rightly so. You need help and why can't you tell Sakura about this? She is your friend, after all. **

Naruto refused to reply to the fox. He did not want his friends knowing about his past. A few, including Sakura, had seen his scars, but they had never asked about them. After wiping his mouth with the back of his hand and opening his eyes, Naruto forced himself to stand up and turn the water on for his shower. Stripping, Naruto turned to stare at himself in the mirror. He could only see from his waist up in the glass above the sink, but it was enough. Each scar had a story and each story Naruto remembered vividly. He wished he could truthfully say that he had been a clumsy child and got the scars from a bad biking accident or from falling down a flight of stairs, but he could not. Sure, he told others such stories, but he knew they were not true, for he knew the truth behind the scars. The terrible truth that he hid from those he cared about.

Stepping into the shower, Naruto reminded himself that he had to keep his past a secret from his friends. They would hate and fear him if they knew who and what he was. Naruto sighed and concentrated on getting the sweat off his body. When he stepped out of the shower twenty minutes later, he felt refreshed. Walking out of the bathroom, dry and with a towel around his waist, Naruto headed towards his bedroom.

A knock at the door halted his progress and he groaned before turning on his heel and heading to his front door. "Coming!" Thinking it was his neighbor, who was a nuisance half the time, he yanked the door open and leaned on the frame with a grumble, "What is it this time? Did my imaginary pet get into your trash? Scratch at your door? Meow all night long?" His eyes met, however, emotionless black instead of the normal brown of his neighbor's eyes. Surprised, Naruto gasped slightly as he took in the fact that a certain raven was standing in front of his door. He straightened and cleared his throat. "Oh...Sorry about that, but what are you doing here?" He asked, slightly worried that Sasuke had come to continue the conversation from a week ago. He was greeted with silence and then he realized that the other man was staring at his naked chest with a rather pointed expression. Naruto felt heat rise to his cheeks. "Just got out of the shower, sorry, I'll go get some clothes on. Come in, make yourself comfortable." He moved aside and motioned for Sasuke to enter.

After shutting the door behind the man, Naruto started to walk towards his room once again, only to be stopped by a hand on his arm. An unexplained shiver went up his spine at the sudden touch and he felt heat on his cheeks again. "Those scars, where did you get them?"

Naruto tensed and shrugged off the arm, "I was clumsy as a kid. Got into a lot of accidents." He hurried into his bedroom and changed swiftly. When he reentered the main room, he found Sasuke sitting on the couch. Walking towards him, Naruto swallowed hard before settling down on the couch as well. "You never answered my question. What are you doing here?"

Sasuke turned to look at him and then replied, "Why did you give up being a doctor?" Naruto tensed up and inwardly groaned. This was just what he had been afraid of. Sasuke wanted to continue the conversation from last week.

Taking a deep breath, Naruto answered in a quiet voice, "I gave it up because I found something I liked better." He paled as soon as the words were out of his mouth. That was one of the worst things he could say to Sasuke. In an attempt to dig himself out of the hole he had begun digging, he continued, "I found that I wasn't cut out for being a doctor and work in the medical field. I changed my major and went to work for Kiba as a mechanic."

The glare that Sasuke had only intensified while Naruto spoke. It made him a bit nervous to see his friend with such a fierce expression on his face about something like this. "Idiot...That is not the only reason. You are hiding something."

"So what? It has nothing to do with you. My reasons are my own and I don't have to share them with you, teme."

"Nothing to do with me? I disagree. The blond idiot I know doesn't give up on his dreams; it goes against his code." Sasuke replied, his voice soft but deadly.

"Knew, Sasuke, knew. Have you forgotten that we haven't seen each other for three years? People change and they grow up." Naruto was trying his best to stay calm and not explode in the other man's face.

"Hn. You haven't, you are still an idiot." Sasuke replied, crossing his arms.

Naruto felt his blood start to boil. A snarl slipped past his lips before he could stop it.

**Naruto, calm down. He wants you to blow your top. He is trying to get you to talk. Take deep breaths, kit, and show him how much you have grown.**

He shut his eyes and took deep breaths as instructed which helped him calm down. "I will not play this game, Sasuke. I have some things that are mine alone and my reasons on that matter are one of them." He offered a slight smile and then got up from his couch. "Now would my guest like something to drink?"

Glancing at Sasuke, he saw that the man was still trying to recover from the shock of him calmly turning down the chance to have it out with Sasuke. "Take that as a no." He walked to his kitchen and got a glass of water. Leaning against the island, Naruto stared at the back of Sasuke's head as he took a sip of water. The raven's hair style had changed, but in a good way. It looked much less like a duck butt. Naruto had noticed it when he had gone to pick him up from the airport, but he hadn't gotten the chance to study it closely at the time.

Suddenly, his stomach twisted again. This time it was strong and felt like his gut was ripping. He let out a groan and put down the glass of water so that he could clutch the island with both hands. He vaguely heard movement before a weight was on his shoulder. "What is wrong?" Sasuke. It was his hand that was creating the weight.

"N-un-nothing." He managed before glancing up at Sasuke. He was surprised by the genuine worry on the man's face, but his thoughts did not linger on that as the stomach pain grew worse. He could barely keep himself upright and he felt his knees give in underneath him. A strong arm caught him and supported his weight. "S-Sasuke."

"Dobe, there is something wrong."

"No..."

"I am taking you to the hospital."

"No!" Naruto attempted to shout, but his protest came out as a weak groan. He did notwant Tsunade to see him like this. He did not want anyone to see him like this. A fit of shivers racked his body before his world went dark and he went limp in the raven's arms.

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**How was it? Terrible? **

**I have found my muse for this story, so I shall continue to write it, but I am gone for two weeks and will be unable to update. :( **


	4. Too Clean Need Morphine

**Ta-da! Chapter Four has arrived. I apologize for the wait and I hope it is worth it. **

**As always, I do not own _Naruto. _**

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Eyes flickering open as he moaned, Naruto awoke and glanced around. Everything was clean, too clean. The world was white and he did not like it. When his brain caught up to what he was seeing, he let out a weak growl. He was in a hospital, but the details of how he had gotten there were sketchy. He remembered having bad stomach pains and falling over before being caught by a strong arm, but that was the extent of what he knew. Looking around for any clues, he was surprised to see a head of raven hair on the bed. Naruto knew it was Sasuke, even though the face was buried in the blankets. He must have been brought in by Sasuke.

His brow furrowed in confusion, why would Sasuke, of all people, stay at his bedside? He thought more on the subject, attempting to puzzle it out. Sasuke had always treated him strangely, maybe that had not changed. The guy had once leapt in the path of a knife meant for Naruto. The words after he had woken up in the ICU? _**My body moved on it's own.** __  
_

What on earth did that mean? Naruto sighed at the memory. They had been so stupid back then, getting into meaningless fights that led to pain. There were a few that were not as meaningless, that resulted in making a friend or two. However, the crimson aftermath of many fights was sickening to him. Any shade of red was a terrible color. It was like...

A terrible pain interrupted his thought process and he cried out. Wrapping his arms around his stomach, he curled into a fetal position and continued to cry out, not caring who heard. His only conscious thought was the pain numbing his brain. The twisting felt as if his stomach was ripping out of his gut and taking pieces of other organs with it. It became so bad that a scream split from his lips and he thrashed, tearing the needle from his hand in the process.

Sasuke had grabbed his arm, but all he knew was that someone was trying to restrain him as they called out his name. "Go away! I don't want you! Go away, Papa!" He screamed out, the words mixed with cries of pain.

The door banged open as nurses and Lady Tsunade ran in, responding to the screams and the push of the emergency button on the bed, thanks to Sasuke. Naruto screamed louder as nurses attempted to hold him down and put an IV back in. There were people shouting, but Naruto only heard his father's voice and felt his father's hands. "Leave me be! I don' wanna!" Tears poured from his now shut eyes and he continued to fight back against the hands that were trying to harm him.

"Naruto, it's Sasuke. Calm down." He only heard his name, nothing more.

"Dobe!" What was that?

"Dobe!" There it was again...Who was that?

"I know you can hear me! Calm down, dobe. It's me, Sasuke." Sasuke? Wait. That wasn't his father and the voice sounded friendly. It sounded almost kind, in it's own way.

Naruto's thrashing slowed and he opened his eyes cautiously, biting his lip to prevent himself from crying out in pain. Finding the source of the voice standing beside the bed, leaning over him, Naruto stared into the almost black eyes and unknowingly started to calm down little by little. A warm hand came to gently brush his forehead and then rest on his shoulder in a comforting manner. "Sasuke..." He gasped between sobs. Resting his cheek against the hand, Naruto shut his eyes as the nurses inserted an IV and started to pump medicine into his veins, which quickly started to take effect, washing away the pain.

He shook for the next ten minutes, and it took even longer for his heart rate to return to normal. The tears eventually came to a stop and when they did, he felt extremely tired. Opening his eyes, he once again looked into dark orbs that seemed to be holding back emotions of worry. "Thank you, Sasuke." He managed to whisper, his dry throat, mouth, and lips causing his voice to crackle.

"Here." Sasuke produced a cup of ice cubes. "Sit up." Sasuke helped him prop himself against pillows and get into a sitting position. He felt surprised by the gentleness he was receiving from the solemn raven, and even more so when the raven held the cup of ice for him as he put piece after piece into his mouth. When the cup was empty, Sasuke placed it on a table and then turned to Naruto.

"The Hokage is worried." Naruto remained quiet and stared at the blankets. This was why he had not wanted to come to the hospital. Tsunade did not need something else on her plate, she had enough to deal with. Adding his little problem on top of that was something he disliked doing. There was no changing it now, however.

"She will not tell me anything. Apparently, neither will you." The tone that Sasuke used caused Naruto to look up, which he immediately regretted for Sasuke was staring at him with an almost sad expression. It was as if Sasuke wanted to know what was wrong with him so that he could help. Naruto shook his head, reminding himself that it was impossible.

"It is a long story, Sasuke. One that has not ended." Naruto replied sadly, returning his gaze to the blankets covering his sickly form. "Get me out of here, and maybe I'll tell you some of it." He decided that Sasuke deserved to know a little; the man had saved his life on numerous occasions, after all.

Sasuke gave a 'Hmph' noise, which Naruto took to mean 'We shall see'. Naruto rubbed his stomach gently and let out a soft sigh. He found his thoughts turning to the pain from moments ago. The twisting had not gotten bad enough to require morphine in years. Normally, he could make the sensation go away with some tylenol or by taking a few sleeping pills and going to bed. _Father, why is your curse affecting me this way now? It is has been a long time since then. Can't you just stay away from my life? _

**Kit, you should rest. Think about this when you have the strength to do so. **

A shiver went down his spine and he stared at the white ceiling. "Too clean..." He whispered before shutting his eyes. Naruto felt warm hands draping the blanket around his shoulders and he let out a shaken breath. "Go to sleep," came a quiet, masculine voice that was not in his head, but rather from an outside source. _Thank you, Sasuke. Even though you should hate me, you treat me like this. This kindness, I will accept, for it won't last for long. It never does. Nevertheless, I wish I could tell you what this kindness means to me. No matter what I say I will tell you, I cannot tell you everything. You can never know. None of my friends can know. I am sorry. _

Naruto's breathing evened out and he fell into a light sleep. While he slept, Sasuke gently stroked his hair with a solemn expression on his face. Naruto was not the only one with secrets and inner conflict. The raven hid a secret almost as terrible as Naruto's beneath onyx eyes, and same as the blond, he refused to speak of it, in fear of a certain someone's disgust.

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** A bit short, I know, but I will try to get the next chapter out soon to make up for it! Thank you and please review! **


	5. Freed From Clean Clutches

**Ta-da! Chapter Five has arrived. **

**As always, I do not own _Naruto_ nor any of the mentioned characters. This is only a fan fiction, nothing more. Thank you and please enjoy. **

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_Naruto_ opened his eyes slowly and let out a soft moan. The pain was gone, but his gut felt tight. He glanced around the room, and was not surprised to find it empty of other people. There was, however, a vase of flowers on the bedside table, with a card that was signed by Sakura. He managed a slight smile at the sight. It meant someone cared, and that someone had been here besides the walking gloom machine.

Taking deep breaths, he forced himself into an upright sitting position. Naruto groaned and weakly adjusted the pillows behind him to support his back. He hated feeling weak, it reminded him too much of the past when he was always too weak...too weak to do anything.

**Kit, you aren't weak. You are only recovering. You'll be up and ready to go soon. **

_You will heal me, right? As always? _

**About that...Kit, I don't think I can do that this time. **

_What do you mean? There has never been a time where you couldn't heal my physical injuries! _

**This isn't physical.**

Naruto's eyes widened and he clutched the bed sheets. He shuddered as his stomach started to twist. He took deep breaths and cleared his mind, not wanting to go through the pain again.

"I leave for a moment and I come back to this. Dobe, must you be so dramatic?" Naruto turned to the doorway in surprise to see Sasuke standing there with a smirk and a cup of coffee. The distraction was enough to make the twisting stop, thankfully. Naruto looked away, biting his lip. "Whatever." He mumbled in reply.

He watched out of the corner of his eye as Sasuke stood beside the bed. He didn't understand why the other man was here. Their relationship had always been rocky and the lines had been blurry, but this was still out of the ordinary, especially considering that there had been no real relationship of any kind for three years. Nevertheless, Sasuke's presence made Naruto feel a bit happy. It was a fleeting happy that he knew would fade when he told Sasuke a bit of the truth. People either hated him or feared him after they knew the truth. A sigh slipped through his throat and he weakly ran a hand through his hair.

"The Hokage says you can leave today." Naruto turned to Sasuke and smiled faintly. He was pleasantly surprised that Sasuke had convinced Tsunade. "Don't be so surprised, dobe, you've been in the hospital for a week already."

Naruto raised his eyebrows. "A week? I don't remember..."  
"Of course you don't, you were asleep. Idiot." Sasuke cut in, rolling his eyes. He stood there for a couple of moments in silence before he spoke again. "Get up." He took a sip of the coffee and stared pointedly at Naruto.

Moving his legs was a chore, but Naruto managed to get out from beneath the blankets and swing his legs over the side of the bed. He slowly inched forward until his feet touched the cool floor. He sucked in a breath as he hesitantly pulled the rest of his body up. At first, he swayed, but he soon regained his balance. His legs felt like lead and it took a great effort to move a few steps. Unsteadily, Naruto walked past Sasuke and towards the door, which seemed a lot further away than he had originally thought. Suddenly, an arm wove its way around his waist and a hand maneuvered Naruto's arm around muscular shoulders.

Yet again surprised, Naruto glanced at the man now supporting him. He did not say anything as Sasuke helped him walk out of the room and to the nurses' desk. The normally rough treatment that he received was not there, instead Sasuke was being almost gentle with him. Even the hand the raven had on his wrist was gentle, for Sasuke, at least. Swallowing hard, Naruto focused on what the nurse was saying. "...I can't allow that, sir. Lady..."  
"Tsunade told me this was allowed."

"I am sorry, sir, but this man is a patient here and without direct written consent, I cannot let him go." Naruto looked between the nurse and a slightly annoyed Sasuke. Before he could say anything, the clacking of heels alerted him to the approaching person of interest. Sure enough, Tsunade soon stood behind the desk wearing a stern expression. "Kaoru, let them go. Take my word now."

"But Lady...!" She was hushed by a raised hand.

"Naruto, you may leave on one condition." After a pregnant pause and a serious look, she continued, "You are not allowed to be alone. You must stay with someone until I say otherwise, or you are to stay in the hospital for another week."

Naruto's blue eyes narrowed. He saw what she was doing; making it so he had no plausible choice but to stay with someone. She knew how much he hated hospitals, and for the most part why. Gritting his teeth, he nodded. "I will stay at someone's home. Who do you have in mind?" There was no way she would give him a choice in the matter.

"Sasuke Uchiha." Naruto widened his eyes and he was sure his mouth was gaping open. "Wh-h-hat? Me, stay at his house? Are you insane? Wait...Don't answer that, but still!"

Tsunade crossed her arms and glared at the blond, for once holding back her violent urges. "You will stay with him or stay here." Naruto clenched one of his fists and took a deep breath to calm himself. "Fine. I will stay with Sasuke." He looked at Sasuke and was shocked to see only discomfort hidden behind his eyes. There should have been repulsion or surprise, but neither of those were present. Tsunade nodded and then handed Sasuke a bottle of pills and a pile of clothing. "If he has another attack, give him two of these. Here are his clothes "

Naruto was curious about what the pills would actually do, but knew better than to ask. Whatever they did, he hoped they would do their job. Sasuke led him to the nearest bathroom and a stall. Placing the clothing on the back of the toilet, Sasuke let go of Naruto and stepped out of the stall, closing the door behind him. "Change."

He was weak, but Naruto managed to support himself and slip into his clothing. Pulling the door open slowly, Naruto emerged fully clothed. He stumbled as he moved out of the stall, only to be caught by Sasuke. "Walk much?" Naruto growled, but was thankful for the support nonetheless. As they left the hospital, Naruto started to feel nervous. It had dawned on him that if he was staying with Sasuke, that meant staying at the Uchiha household. There were basic reasons, like bad memories, but what concerned him most was having to be alone with Sasuke in that place. A shiver went down his spine and he hoped that Sasuke didn't notice it.

The Uchiha mansion was a ways from the hospital, so Naruto was pleased to see that the other man had his car. As they approached the sleek black vehicle, Naruto licked his lips, remembering the last time he had been in that particular car. His eyes widened when he realized what he was thinking of and he quickly buried the memory and the thoughts that accompanied it. He noticed Sasuke looking at him strangely from the corner of his eye, but he decided to pay more attention to getting into the car.

Sasuke practically slammed the car door behind him after helping him into his seat. The raven grunted as he got in and started the car, but after that the ride was void of any conversation. Naruto expected this, but had hoped that the broody man would have surprised him again and talk. He glanced at the raven and was saw the normal, blank expression on the pale face. Turning his gaze to the world outside the window, Naruto watched the world go by.

It was mid-afternoon and there were people out and about, laughing and talking. There were children playing in the park and dogs barking as they played with their owners. Parents were grinning as they watched their precious offspring. Yet, there were those who looked sad and lonely, who were not welcomed into the happy circles, who received silent, dark glances. Naruto looked away, understanding what they felt when people looked at them in that way, just because they were different or unknown. The cold, unwavering stares that went straight to the heart, to the soul.

Biting his lip, Naruto stared at his lap where his folded hands rested. Kyuubi had told him that it was human nature to hate was different because different meant dangerous. He had said that humans were a fearful race at heart and only pretended to be brave to hide their weaknesses. Naruto refused to believe it. Him, Naruto Uzumaki, afraid? Nonsense. That was like saying a Uchiha showed all emotion, and held nothing back. Impossible.

Kyuubi told him again and again that he was in denial, but still he refused to believe it. Eventually, the fox stopped talking about the subject and muttered that Naruto was an idiot who would have to learn on his own. A sigh slipped from Naruto's lips as he thought about the conversation. Things were rarely short-winded when it came to the fox.

"Get out, dobe." Naruto's head snapped up at the voice. They had arrived, apparently, as Sasuke was standing in front of him holding the door open with a cool expression on his face. Naruto unbuckled himself and got to his feet, still unsteady, but better on his feet than he had been in the hospital. Sasuke did not support him this time, and Naruto found that he did not need the help. He managed to walk up the mansion steps and into the home.

The inside was different from it had been last time. Surfaces were covered in a thin layer of dust and things were strewn about in a way that made Naruto think that when Sasuke had come home, he had just thrown things on the floor and forgotten about them. There was clothing hanging off the furniture and in piles here and there on the floor. A rumpled blanket was tossed on the couch as if Sasuke had slept there instead of a bed. _Odd...Sasuke is never THIS messy, even when he's stressed. At least, he didn't used to be this way. _Naruto furrowed his brow as he looked around.

"You may stay in the room across from mine." Naruto nodded in reply to the quiet words. He assumed that Sasuke had been using the same room that he had when he was a kid, so he walked to the nearby hallway, and to the end. Opening the door to the room on the left, Naruto entered a room that was dark, but lighter than he had expected. It was painted a semi-dark blue color and had black curtains covering the window. He opened said curtain and then sat slowly on the bed. Studying the black comforter that lay beneath him, he laid down and traced invisible patterns on the fabric.

His mind was full of questions and he had yet to find or receive answers for any of the inquiries. It felt like he was going a hundred different directions without moving an inch. Letting out a groan, Naruto flipped on his side and wrapped his arms around himself. He had a horrible feeling that if he relaxed, he would see...him. _Kyuu, can you bury them again? __  
_

**For now. It is getting harder to keep them from your conscious mind. You will have to deal with these memories soon before they take hold of you. **

_I understand. At the moment, I need you to take care of it. Please. _

The sensation started to subside, but it lingered, haunting Naruto from the back of his mind. He did not want to think about memories or having to deal with them. Such things were from the past and should stay that way. Another groan slipped past Naruto's lips and he curled into himself, shutting his eyes tightly. He wanted to go to his own home and curl up on his bed in the warmth of his white room. Being alone was the best thing for him in these times, not being in someone else's home, especially a gloomy raven's. The gloom was going to seep into his bones and make everything worse, Naruto could sense it.

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**It was longer this time, at least! How was it? Please review. :) **


	6. Warm, Fluffy, and Gooey Pancakes

**The next chapter has arrived! Sasuke is going to be odd in this chapter as well, and probably for the next few. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own _Naruto _or any of the characters, fortunately. **

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_"Momma, Momma! Guess what, guess what?" A blond-haired, blue-eyed angel said excitedly as he bounced up and down. His hands behind his back, he looked as if he was hiding the world's greatest secret and he could barely wait to reveal what it was. His big blue eyes shone with childish excitement and innocence as he looked up into the warm grey-blue eyes of his mother._

_"You found the biggest frog? Caught a snake?" She asked, leaning closer to her son. Some of her flowing red hair fluttered off her shoulder as she smiled adoringly. Her love for the small boy shone in her eyes._

_"Nope. I found a baby frog! See?" He moved his hands from behind him and proudly held up the bucket that held his prize. The tiny frog within was trying desperately to get out of the container, but the child paid no attention to its efforts._

_The woman laughed, the delicate noise filling the room with a gentle atmosphere. "It is beautiful. Good job!" She paused, ruffling the blond hair affectionately. "Now, what shall be done with this little miracle, fish-cake?"_

_"It is gonna go back to the garden. I don't want the momma frog to get worried about it! 'Cause the momma shouldn't have to worry about the baby, 'cause the baby is gonna take care of the momma!" The child's grin grew impossibly large and he skipped away after receiving a sweet kiss to the forehead and murmured words of, "I love you, fish-cake." _

_Time seemed to stop for a moment as the world darkened. The angel looked back at his mother, paused, and then screamed. Red was starting to bleed through the fabric of the dress his mother wore. As the stains grew in number and size, the beautiful face started to pale. The child screamed again and ran towards his mother, dropping the bucket. He ran as fast as he could, but his mother kept on getting further away. Rough hands came from behind and grabbed the boy, causing him to go into hysterics. "Don't take me away from Momma! She needs me!" Sobs racked the small frame as he reached towards the fading figure of his mother. Deep laughter resonated in his ear. Quiet words were spoken, but they were muffled by his screams. He turned to look at the face of his captor as his mother disappeared and he screamed even louder.  
"Don't cry, fishy-fishy..."_

* * *

Naruto jerked upright on the bed, eyes wide as he panted. That had been close. His dreams had started to take a turn for the worst, but he had forced himself awake before he started screaming. He had only been half asleep, so it had been easy to get out of the dream state. Tsunade had once told him that humans rarely remembered their dreams. Unfortunately, in Naruto's case, the 'dreams' were memories that never left him, and surfaced when he shut his eyes.

As his breathing returned to normal and his heart rate slowed, Naruto raised his head to stare at the ceiling. He wondered why his dreams had shifted to memories about his mother. He rarely dreamt of her, but it was a slight pleasant change from the dreams of others. Groaning, Naruto wished he was a normal young man who had dreams about naked women and fast cars. Sasuke entered his mind and he snorted. Trying to imagine Sasuke actually dreaming of such things was humorous to him.

"Something funny?"

"Yes, actually..." He stopped abruptly and quickly in the direction of the doorway. At first, he had thought the voice had been Kyuubi's, but then it struck him that the voice had originated from outside his body. Sasuke. "It was nothing, never mind." Naruto swung his legs off the bed and got to his feet faster than he should have. Swaying, Naruto steadied himself with a hand on the bed. His blue eyes flickered back to Sasuke and he licked his lips nervously under the raven's unwavering stare. "Would you stop staring at me?" Silence. "You are being creepy, teme." Not even a blink or a facial twitch. Naruto growled, realizing Sasuke wasn't going to stop until he got an honest reply. "Fine! I was trying to imagine you having dreams about women and fast cars, and it was funny. Now get out of my way, I have to pee."

Naruto lowered his gaze as he hobbled across the room and brushed past Sasuke. He could feel Sasuke watching him go into the bathroom down the hall and he tried to ignore it, to no avail.

Shutting the door and leaning against the wood, Naruto could still feel the other man's gaze. Breathing deeply, he went about his business. When he was done, he cracked the door open to see if the coast was clear. Finding the area void of an Uchiha, Naruto exited the bathroom and walked towards the kitchen.

He was met by the sight of a certain raven leaning on the counter with a vacant expression. It was different than the man's blank look; this was as if Sasuke was daydreaming. "Uh, Sasuke, what are you doing?" The raven's expression quickly changed as he turned to Naruto. "Standing in my kitchen."

Naruto raised his brow and looked away. He felt the same unwavering stare as before and started to feel nervous. He glanced up and paused in shock. Sasuke had his chin resting in his palm while he leaned on his elbow. He stared at Naruto with the same vacant look. "What do you want, teme?"

At first, he received silence as a reply, but then Sasuke made a noise, "Hn," the famous Uchiha reply. Years ago, it would have caused Naruto to bristle, but now, he smiled and gave a soft chuckle. "Still with the 'hn' replies? I thought I was imagining them the last few times you have made them. Apparently I am not the only one who hasn't change." Naruto knew, however, that Sasuke's mannerisms were all that had not changed, for the raven looked more mature now than three years ago. Even the way the Uchiha carried himself had changed.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow and continued to stare at Naruto. "You still have not answered my question, Sasuke. A noise is not a reply."  
Sasuke seemed to contemplate his answer before he opened his mouth. "I want you..." Naruto's face grew warm and he knew he was blushing, "...to shut up." Naruto gave a nervous laugh and nodded slightly. He started to walk away, but was stopped by a hand on his arm.

"Your face is red. Are the pains returning?" Sasuke asked, turning the blushing blond to face him. "N-No, it is just warm in here. Let me go, will ya'?" He tried to shake Sasuke off, but his protests and struggles only caused the raven to hold on tighter. Naruto stopped fighting and stared wide-eyed at Sasuke as the raven spoke, "Are you blushing?"

"No! I was warm, nothing else." He steeled his expression and glared at the Uchiha. The smirk that he received forced a growl from his gut. The grip on his arm lessened and Naruto stalked away. He had not gone far before his legs gave way beneath him and he stumbled. He closed his eyes and winced, waiting to meet the ground.

The floor felt oddly soft when he landed, and it groaned. Confused, Naruto slowly opened his eyes. It was dark and warm, whatever it was. When the deep scent of a man, more specifically Sasuke, wafted into his nose, Naruto's eyes shot open. He stared at the Uchiha beneath him in shock. "W-Wha...?" He was even more confused now, wondering how the other man had ended up beneath him. He managed to figure out that Sasuke must have tried to catch him when he fell, but how the raven had ended up in the current position was beyond him.

Sasuke smirked and then spoke, "Are you done or are you planning on doing something besides sitting on my chest, dobe?" Naruto was jerked from his thoughts by the low, scratchy words. He looked down in horror at the specifics of their position. His lower body was pressed against Sasuke's with one leg in between Sasuke's legs. His blush returned, and in full force. Pushing himself up, Naruto staggered to the nearby kitchen counter and leaned against it.

Turning his back to Sasuke, Naruto hid his face from the man. He took deep breaths to calm his racing heart. Licking his lips nervously, he glanced behind him. Sasuke was getting up from the floor and walking towards him. Naruto tensed as the man walked past him into the kitchen and fingertips brushed his shoulder. His jaw hung open a few inches in shock. What was Sasuke doing?

Shivers went down his spine and he swallowed hard. This was getting weirder by the minute. Deciding to ignore the oddness of the last few minutes, Naruto moved unsteadily into the living room and settled on the couch. His breathing was heavy and he felt light-headed. He groaned as he lay down, resting his head on the arm of the couch. Closing his eyes, Naruto took in the scent of Sasuke and allowed himself to smile.

The scent had faint spiciness to it and warmed him to his bones. Curling into himself, Naruto relaxed, forgetting about the events from moments ago. He felt safe and his mind was at ease. He quickly slipped in sleep and for once, he did not dream. However, the sweet sleep was short-lived as another scent entered Naruto's sensitive nose. His eyes shot open as he realized what the delightful smell was, pancakes. He adored pancakes, they were the perfect breakfast food. His stomach growled loudly as he sat up and looked longingly into the kitchen. He had not known the teme could cook, and by the smell of it, well. He slowly got to his feet and made his way back into the other room, following the scent.

He sat on a stool and watched Sasuke pile warm pancakes on two plates. Naruto licked his lips, trying to stop himself from drooling. When Sasuke met his gaze, Naruto looked pleadingly at him, but did not say anything. Naruto could imagine one of the piles in front of him, dripping in syrup and melted butter. Sasuke rolled his eyes and placed a plate in front of Naruto. The blond held back a happy squeal and happily accepted the offered butter and syrup. Once his cakes were dressed, Naruto picked up his fork and knife and closed his eyes, taking in the delicious smell. The stool beside him scrapped against the floor and Naruto glanced over to see Sasuke sitting beside him with his own plate of pancakes.

Naruto grinned and dug into his food, making happy humming noises with each bite. He did not notice the stares he was receiving from Sasuke; his mind was entirely focused on the scrumptious plate of warm, fluffy, and gooey cakes before him. _If he always cooks like this, I am definitely staying for as long as I can. These pancakes are...heavenly! _

**You staying might be what he is counting on. **

Naruto paused in his happy devouring state, his fork, laden with dripping pancakes, dangling above his plate. _What do you mean? I am sure he cannot wait to get rid of me, that teme. _

**I am not so sure about that, kit. He is staring at you...again. You might want to keep on eating before he thinks something wrong. **

Naruto glanced to his right and say that the fox spoke the truth, Sasuke was staring at him again. Looking down at his suspended fork, Naruto quickly moved the bite into his mouth and continued eating, but this time his thoughts were focused on what Kyuubi had said. He had never been one for puzzles, and this was an intricate one, indeed. Sasuke was like a puzzle with a maze of puzzles. Every time the answer seemed clear, another question appeared, proving the answer wrong. Naruto's brow furrowed as he took the last bite of the heavenly goodness that was the pancakes. _What if he is trying to apologize? Could that be possible? _Naruto shook his head, throwing that theory out the window. There was no way that the Ice Prince was trying to apologize, to him no less. Naruto turned and stared at Sasuke. Biting his lip, he wondered if Sasuke was trying to reconnect with him. Naruto smiled and then looked back to his empty plate. That had to be it. Sasuke had missed the friendship they had so tentatively shared. Naruto felt relieved that he had found the cause of Sasuke's odd behavior. He made to get up and put his dishes away when a hand grasped his wrist. "You have something on your face..."

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**Chapter 6...Yay...I did not like this chapter much, but hopefully the next will be better. Please Read and Review to tell me whether there are ways I should improve this story or not. :) **


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